HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY
To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.
Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
v. pushed, push·ing, push·es v.tr. 1. a. To apply pressure against (something), especially for the purpose of moving it: pushed the door but couldn't budge it. b. To move (something) by exerting force against it; thrust or shove: pushed the crate aside. c. To exert downward pressure on (a button or keyboard, for example); press. 2. To force (one's way): We pushed our way through the crowd. 3. To urge forward or urge insistently; pressure: pushed him to study harder. 4. To extend or enlarge: pushed sales into the millions. 5. Informal To approach in age: is pushing 40 and still hasn't settled down. 6. a. Informal To promote or sell (a product): The author pushed her latest book by making appearances in bookstores. b. Slang To sell (a narcotic) illegally: push drugs. 7. Sports To hit (a ball) in the direction toward the dominant hand of the player propelling it, as to the right of a right-handed player. v.intr. 1. To exert pressure or force against something: winds pushing against the sail. 2. To advance despite difficulty or opposition; press forward: The regiment pushed toward the front line. 3. To advocate or recommend something insistently: pushed for a change in leadership. 4. To expend great or vigorous effort: pushed to finish his paper by the deadline. n. Phrasal Verbs: 1. a. The act of pushing; a thrust: gave the door a push. b. The act of pressing: with a push of the button. 2. A vigorous or insistent effort toward an end; a drive: a push to reform health care. 3. A provocation to action; a stimulus: has artistic talent but needs a push to get started. 4. Informal Persevering energy; enterprise: doesn't have the push to get the job done. push around Informal To treat or threaten to treat roughly; intimidate. push off Informal To set out; depart: The infantry patrol pushed off before dawn. push on Idioms: To continue or proceed along one's way: The path was barely visible, but we pushed on. push paper Informal To have one's time taken up by administrative, often seemingly petty, paperwork: spent the afternoon pushing paper for the boss. push up daisies Slang To be dead and buried: a cemetery of heroes pushing up daisies. when/if push comes to shove At a point when the situation must be confronted and dealt with: When push comes to shove, we'll have to move to a cheaper place. [Middle English pushen, from Old French pousser, from Latin pulsāre, frequentative of pellere, to strike, push; see pel-5 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] Synonyms: push, propel, shove, thrust These verbs mean to press against something in order to move it forward or aside: push a baby carriage; wind propelling a sailboat; shove a tray across a table; thrust the package into her hand. Antonym: pull |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
